Home visits by solicitor for affadavit signing

[gingeroots]

Probate want a witness to my late mothers will to sign an affadavit .

The witness ( like my mother ) is in her mid 90's and I need to arrange a home visit .

Does anyone have any advice as to how to go about this and the likely cost ?

The witness lives in central London and I'm imagining high costs from local firms .

Can a notary do this ? Or is that just for foreign affairs ?

Dense emoticon

Any newly qualified solicitor loves witnessing affidavits - the fee goes in their pocket generally so if you know anyone who you could call directly rather than through the firm to pop out in their lunch hour you can pay them £10 or so.

If you don't know anyone and have to go through the firm then yes they will charge for the person's time as well as travel time in addition to the witness fee. This will be an hourly rate, so I suggest you rack your brains to think of anyone you know/friends of friends/newly qualified children of friends to save yourself some money.

Thanks Mumblechum

Mmm - any newly qualified solicitors around near Tavistock Place in London ?

( it's an omitted attestation clause necessitating this in case you wondered ! )

If you can't find any one, can't you just take the witness in a taxi?

Thanks Mumble .Witness is 96 ,I don't know her personally ,just going on her daughter's suggetion of home visit .Which I think fair enough really .

Well, certainly if you do it formally, you will be able to get someone to come out but in central London the solicitor's time will be charged out at around £300 per hour, half-rate for travel, so it would definitely be cheaper to get someone to take her in a taxi. The witness fee (presuming that the document is all ready for signing) is around £5 to £10.